A George and Alex story
by Pairatime
Summary: A George and Alex story that is slash. George and Alex grow closer as Alex has to face his past, both the living and the dead and Alex has a choice to make.
1. Fire

"Why did you think I was gay?"

Alex looked up from opening his car door to see someone standing a few feet from him. At first Alex couldn't make out who it was. His sleep deprived mind unwilling to try and distinguish between the fiery red-orange of rising sun and the softer tones of a man before him. Alex tried to shake his head and focus on the man and the question but his brain didn't feel like it at all. "What?" he asked at last.

"What was it, you've know me all of a week and you, Cristina, Izzie, everyone thinks I'm gay. Why? What is it?"

Alex listen as the man fired off his questions and stepped forward. The man was less than five feet from him when he realized who it was, from the changed light, to the voice and the words themselves.

"George, it's like five in the morning and we just worked round the clock, _again_, can this wait for some other time. Like our next life time maybe." Alex turned back to his car and stuck the key into the lock.

He was stopped when George stepped closer and grabbed his hand with his own, "My whole life people have just assumed that I…I'm gay, but I'm not. I've never had those feeling before. Why do people think I am? Why did you think I am?"

Alex looked up from his hand, all of the rest of the shift were gone already and the lot was empty save George and him…why him?

"Why me why not your new roommates?" Alex turned his gaze at his fellow intern, looking into his eyes…seeing something….familiar.

"Why you? You're another guy, I _don't_ live with you, I saw you first, I don't know. Just why please tell me."

I just want to sleep, fine what ever, Alex thought. "You have that vibe, that gay vibe alright that's why everyone thinks your gay. Does it mean you are not, not every gay man give off the vibe and not every man with it is, ok, happy now George?" Alex ranted stepping closer to George expecting the other man to back up and hopefully leave him be…but he didn't. It's been a little while since he'd been this physically close to another man…not since…

Alex stepped back only for George to step forward keeping the distance between them the same. Alex could feel the heat coming off the man and he could feel his own face flush. He was normally the one in charge, the one in control. But right now…

"The vibe, is that what this is?"

Before Alex could even respond, even fully hear the words, he felt George's hand on the back of his neck and his lips on his own, he felt like he was on fire, his face, his whole body felt hot and George felt like on inferno, the heat coming off him in waves.

Then in was gone and George was half way across the lot before Alex could even move.

End of part one.


	2. Drinking in the Rain

Alex drained his glass again before bringing it up to eye level. It was raining out side again, but a hard rain this time, it banged against the windows, blearing his view of the city. He'd gotten the apartment because of the view, and now he never got to use it. He could still see the ribbons of rain washing down the window when he looked through his scotch glass. It had started about as such a nice morning too. The sunrise had been great…but the rest…

Alex's free hand dropped to the side of his lazy boy recliner and lifted the bottle he had left there. He refilled his glass to the top before taking a long pull of the liquor. He knew he shouldn't, oh he could handle alcohol, he was a fratboy after all, but that was all beer and cheap liquor. And Vat 69 was anything but cheap liquor. He dropped the empty bottle, sending it to the floor with a thud. He rested the glass in the end table next to him as he leaned back.

He hadn't been kissed by a guy in years, not since…years. He kept going over it in his head, it was fast and panicked, unplanned. George was no more in control then he had been. Had he even realized what he was doing, was that why he ran? Why did George have to do it, and why with him? He liked women, he really did.

Everything had started off, not great but not bad, he was at a good hospital, finally actually doing surgeries, got the numbers of five different nurses. And now this. He really did like women, the sex was hot and with his looks and charm he could get all he wanted but…that's all it had even been, sex. And George wasn't that bad, the way he stumbled over everything he said was cute, and he was kind of cute. He looked all innocent, like he was still a virgin, people like that where always the wildest in bed. Alex thought with a grin. One kiss and I'm thinking about sex with him, I'm not that hard up.

Alex stood, leaving his glass behind as he walked over to one of the book shelves that lined part of the wall; it was only half full of text book, the rest filled with pictures. Alex reached up and grabbed one that had been hidden. Resting face down on the top, concealed from anyone who didn't know it was there. The frame was a heavy oak, its dark color offsetting the light picture it held.

The picture was taken in the fall, with red and golden trees forming the backdrop. In the foreground Alex, a few years-younger, was dressed to the nines in a tux for one of the few times in his life, and the sun illuminating his face, his smile. Next to him with a hand wrapped around his waist, was another man, as tall as Alex with dark hair, had a matching tux…and a matching smile.

Alex sank to the floor, leaning against the windows, tracing the other man with his finger, "I miss you Kyle."

* * *

"Was George quiet to you, because to me he seemed quiet," Izzy asked as she dropped the Safeway bags on the kitchen table.

Meredith paused as she pulled out a frozen carton of Mint Chocolate Chip, "Yes, Yes he was. And he didn't even offer to help out with the groceries. I know it's not his turn, but he always helps…has he even come down since we got home?" she questioned as she filled the freezer.

"No…He didn't kill anyone today…did he? We'd know… we would know right, right?"

"Yes, I think. Bailey would have said something if one of us killed a patient, right?"

* * *

Why did I do it? I don't like guys. I don't, I've never really looked at one…not that way, just to compare. That's all, see how I measure up. All guys do that right, right? I'm not gay. I've only been with one guy, and that was my girlfriend's idea, and we didn't do anything. We were just both there, that's all, and I got her and Tasha for it. And it wasn't like we intended to kiss, we just thought… we just both thought the other was Nanami. That's all.

Then why did I kiss Alex, why? Why did I even go up to him, why did I have to ask him, why, why, why?! He was just so close, and he stepped forward, not me. He just felt so warm, hot, like he was one fire, I could feel it, that's why I stepped closer I was cold, that's all. I was cold and he felt warm, his hand felt so warm…so very, very warm…and nice…and why did I have to kiss him? And why did he let me, he could have said something, done something, push me, punched me, or just moved at all, but no he just stood there and let me kiss him and didn't say a word…why?

And why do I want to do it again? George thought as he stared at his ceiling, listening to the rain pound on the windows.

End of part Two


	3. Out side the Fire

"He's still not talking, he didn't say a word in the bathroom, he didn't say a word at breakfast, he didn't say a thing on the drive here. He hasn't said much of anything all week - he's been quiet even for George," Izzie informed Cristina as they both changed into their scrubs.

"It's the bathroom that got me. He always complains about us being in the bathroom with him but not today or yesterday or the day before," Meredith added turning to Cristina .

"And I care about this why?" Cristina asked giving them both her blank look.

"He's not talking, and he's George. George talks, right Izzie?"

"He does. It's one of his things but now…he just doesn't."

"Good, he talks too much anyways," Cristina decide closing her locker.

"Cristina, something's wrong, George is like-" Izzie cut off her sentence at the sound of the door opening. The girls turned to see Alex walking in, a very hung-over Alex. "What happened to you? Did you try to drown in a keg again? You know Bailey will kill you now; she said she would if you were drunk again."

"Shut up model. I'm not drunk and I wasn't then either now beat it," Alex snapped as he slammed his locker open and started fishing for his scrubs.

"At least he's acting normal," Izzie commented before closing her locker, "Just watch him, something's wrong."

* * *

"Ok fine, you're right, happy?" Cristina complained as she set her tray down on the table.

"What?" Meredith mumbled around her lunch, looking up at her friend.

"Not you, you," she clarified pointing at Izzie before going on, "George - he's being very unGeorge-like. You were right. Happy now?"

"No, something's wrong. Do you know what?" Izzie asked leaning in.

"No. And I don't care."

"Is it his family? Did something happen?" Meredith added, with Izzie thinking it over.

"No. He was fine after they called last week. He told me all about it; he's having dinner with them on Sunday, if he has it off anyways. It has to be something here," Izzie answered.

"Or someone, it could be someone. Did you check to see if he killed anyone?"

"I asked, and he didn't. He's even doing a really good job in surgery so that can't be it."

"What about a date, did he have a date go bad, really bad, bad enough not to talk for a week bad?"

"He hasn't had time for a date. He's with us all the time."

"But not right now, what if he asked some one out and they said no."

"Even George wouldn't stop talking over that, he'd talk to me at least…right?"

"Alex, it's Alex."

"What-"

"Hu-"

Cristina just looked back and forth between the two. "It's Alex, he's been snapping at George even more than normal all week and George is avoiding him. Were you there this morning? He volunteered to do rectal exams. He's avoiding Evil Spawn…maybe. Now I'm leaving," she finished off as she grabbed her now empty tray.

"How did she get done so fast?"

"I think it was the part where she ate and didn't talk, Izzie."

"Do you think she's right? Do you think it's Alex? Is he bothering George?"

"Only one way to find out. We tell Alex to stop."

* * *

Could this day get any worse? First Bailey kicks him out of a surgery and then Gary and Steven accuse him of doing something to O'Malley, _him_ of doing something. Like it was his fault Bambi kissed him. And he wasn't about to tell them what really happened. That was just so not happening. And now he had to run labs all afternoon.

He scowled as he watched the numbers stop before they reached his floor. His frown deepened when the doors opened to reveal George - yes it could get worse.

He saw George try to turn away to leave so he reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him inside and against a wall.

* * *

"Look O'Malley, I'm not going to pound you. In fact I'm going to do you a favor. That thing in the parking lot never happened. Got it?"

"What-"

"Yeah, I don't what to have to deal with this, so it never happened. You can go back to your happy life being a straight guy looking for some girl. Got that O'Malley?"

"B-but,"

"No. When that door opens, what happened in the parking lot, what happened in here never did. You got th-."

* * *

"Alex," George stammered when the doors opened before he tried to turn and leave but he was stopped when he felt a jerk around his neck as Alex pulled him into the elevator and pushed him against one of the walls. Talking to him, trying to tell him something.

Alex was right in his face. He was just so close, just _right there_. And with the elevator wall right behind him there was nowhere to go. He could feel the heat coming off Alex, hitting him in waves. He could smell Alex, his aftershave, cologne, whatever it was; he could all but taste it in the air.

Alex stated to back off. Turning to leave. He didn't think, just acted. He grabbed Alex's head and pushed him against the other side of the elevator diving in for a kiss - this time he didn't stop at the lips he went farther this time. It wasn't like any kiss before, Alex wasn't like any of the girls he's kissed. Alex was different; he felt different. He could taste coffee and sweet, something sweet. He felt like he was drowning in it, then something happened. Alex started kissing back…

* * *

He was talking to him, yelling at him one minute then the next thing he knew he was being pushed back against the wall, hands running through his hair, a tongue down his throat. George felt like a fire pressed against him. Searing him all over, then it was over and George was half way out the door before he even realized he had been kissing George back. Yeah the day could get much, much worse.

The End of this part


	4. Past and Present

Alex ran his hand over the bark, feeling it under his skin, feeling the groves of his carving as he traced the letters with his fingers.

"You going to fondle that tree all day or give me a kiss?"

"I think I'll go with the Oak." Alex grinned as he looked over his shoulder at Kyle.

"I knew you liked trees but still, you'd pick that Oak over me," the dark haired man said, shoving Alex. "It's just this one right? If it's just this one I can deal," he added as he weaved his fingers around Alex's over the carving.

"Yeah, just this one. This one's special."

"So what's up, why'd you want to meet at the Oak?" Kyle asked, looking at Alex.

"I want to do it here: this is where our first time was. You told me you loved me under this tree. So…" Alex withdrew his hand before shoving it in his pocket and looking Kyle in the eyes, "So I had to do it in this place. It wouldn't feel right if I didn't."

"Alex?"

Alex took a deep breath before he pulled his fist out of his pocket. He slowly brought it up before opening it.

* * *

Alex looked down at the ring in his hand but it didn't look the same. It was just as clean and polished but it didn't have the same spark that it held that day; it didn't have the same promise.

But it was still Kyle's ring, on Kyle's hand or not. It stood for everything he'd said that day, every promise he'd made to Kyle and himself. Even the ones George had made him forget for a moment. That couldn't happen again. He wouldn't do that to Kyle.

Alex slipped the ring and its chain over his neck before picking up a photo. It showed Kyle and Alex under a giant Oak. They were sitting, or at least Kyle was. Alex was sleeping with his head on Kyle's lap as the dark haired man ran his fingers through Alex's hair. Carved into the tree above them were the words **Alex and Kyle Forever**.

* * *

"So what do you think of the Chief's announcement?" George asked as he sat on the gurney next to Alex with his books and lunch.

Alex looked up from the article he was reading to see that the back hall that had been empty now held both Cristina and George. "Do I look like I care O'Malley? I'm trying to read, so bother Yang,"

Cristina looked up from her own book at hearing her name and just glared at them both, daring George to bother her.

George tried to return her look for a moment but turned away and back to Alex. "I'm not as scared of you," he told the other man as he slid away from Cristina and closer to Alex. "Not that I'm scared of you, because I'm not, really…so about that ball-"

Alex cut him off when he snapped his magazine together and slid off the gurney before he turned to face George. "Look, I'm not your friend. You don't have to talk to me about some charity shit that's six months away. You don't have to eat lunch with me every day. Go back to Grey and Stevens. It's been a week and a half - they must miss you, though why I don't know."

"**No**"

Alex stopped short as both he and Cristina started at George in surprised but it was Cristina that spoke first. "What?!"

"We're all in this together, even you. Both of you. We're a team. And I don't think you're as bad as you want people to think so, no, I'm not going to stop."

Alex just started at George for a moment before his face darkened as he grabbed the ring under his scrubs. "I'm not your friend Bambi," he barked as he stormed down the hall.

TBC


	5. Of Rants and Food

"Why are you sitting here? I sit here. You sit over there," Alex complained pointing to the girls' normal table as Meredith, Izzie, and Cristina sat at his table.

"Blame them," Cristina said as she started in on her meal.

"We're all Bailey's interns Alex. We should spend more time getting to know each other. It's been almost two months but we don't know anything about you so…" Meredith trailed off in the face of Alex staring at her, "Well, we, I…"

"We miss eating with George," Izzie blurted out, interrupting Meredith, "and he's always sitting with you so now we have to sit with you to sit with him, so deal with it."

"So take him back, I don't want him. All he does is talk and talk some more. I don't want to know more about Bambi than anyone else in this city so please, take him back," Alex responded before he turned back to his lunch.

"We tried but he wants to sit over here. He _does_ think that we need to stick together so we can't just take him back. We have to do this whole group thing so here we are. And where is he?" Izzie asked after her rant, looking around the open courtyard butnot seeing George anywhere.

"Bailey paged him for surgery. That's why I'd hoped to eat alone for once or maybe with a chick but _no_ you have to show up," he complained again as he shoved his meal away, "I'm out of here."

"That didn't go as planned. All this and George isn't even here. Next time we need to plan better," Meredith stated as she started eating her lunch.

"I don't even under stand why we have to go this. You two live with him, you see him very day. Why do you have to spend time with him here? Why would you even _want_ to," Cristina asked looking between her two friends.

"Ah…"

"Well…"

* * *

"Ah no Mom I'm not working too hard…no Mom I'm fine…Sunday was great and yes I'll be there next week…I will as long as I'm not working…people get sick on Sunday too Mom…ah Mom my roommates just got home I really have to go… love you too Mom, bye…bye, I'm hanging up now, bye," George added one last time before hanging up the phone and waving to Meredith and Izzie, "Oh I put in one of Izzie's casserole bake things and it'll be done in…ah…well," George stopped as he poked at his watch, his smile slowly slipping into a grin, "…well, soon, very soon…ah I think."

"George," Izzie cried as she ran past him and into the kitchen opening the oven.

"The oven has a timer for just this reason If it didn't Izzie would have killed us both by now…did you want to die?" Meredith asked as she slowly followed George into the back of the house, taking the lack of smoke as a good thing.

"I had my watch set," George pleaded as he opened his wristwatch-his now dead wristwatch. "Please don't be burned please don't be burned."

"George you're a lucky lucky man. Ten more minutes and I would have had to kill you." Izzie called out as she inspected casserole. Parts of the top were darker than she'd like but it wasn't too bad. "Now George see this clock like thing on top of the stove? It's called a timer. It lets you know when something needs to be taken out of the oven but to work it needs to be turned on. Are you following me George?" Izzie asked in a slow condescending tone usually reserved for children.

"I had my watch set till it… it died," George tried to explain, holding up the now useless watch.

"I don't care George. You almost killed my casseroles. Do you know how much work I put into them George, _do you_?" Izzie began as she started to move in on George. "I spend hours on what ever day I have off making them for us. And what do you do, you try and kill it George. I've had a very bad day, very bad. It was my day to deal with the bed pans and run labs. And then, and then at lunch to _try_ and sit with my best friend I had to sit with the biggest ass at Seattle Graces. Yes, that's right. I sat with Alex because that was the only way to sit with you. But you didn't show. _You_ were in surgery with Bailey, surgery. I was with Alex and you were in _surgery_. You ever try to kill my casserole again I will bake you. Got that." Izzie finished off her rant with a solid poke to George's chest.

"I-but-"

"Just set the table. I need to change."

Meredith watched as Izzie swept out of the room before turning to George. "All in all that when well. When I ruined one last week the only thing that saved me was that this is my house even if she won't let me use the kitchen. I didn't get a rant. I got lucky there."

"She sat with Alex?"

"So did I…and Cristina."

"Cristina?!"

* * *

"I can't believe they actually want to sit with him. I just don't get it. I mean, come on, he's such a pushover in everything _but_ this and he just won't shut up. He has to just keep talking and talking about his patients, about my patients, about Meredith, Izzie, and Burke and Shepherdand the Ball and summer and anything that comes into his head. It's going to drive me nuts. He's worse than you and your sister combined. He just won't stop," Alex ranted as he stared at his TV dinner as he looked at the picture of his and Kyle's gradation he'd set at the other side of the table. "If I'd given a girl half the shit I've given him they'd be long gone. So why the fuck won't he go?" he demanded of the picture, shoving his food away.

TBC…


	6. PreDate

"You're sitting with us, finally. Have you had enough of Evil Spawn? You have a good heart but he's just a bastard." Izzie complained as George sat down next to her.

George just stared at Izzie for a moment before answering, "He's in surgery with Shepherd, and he's not a bastard just blunt." He explained as he took a bite of his dinner.

"He's in on Shepherd's surgery, how did he get in on it, I thought you were doing it?" Cristina asked as she looked up from the charts she was studying to look at Meredith.

"I'm not, well I was but then Bailey needed someone and she traded me so Shepherd has Alex. Bailey's doing a transplant as soon as the liver gets here," Meredith added taking a bite.

"Am I the only one not in on a surgery?" Izzie complained before looking back at George, "what about you? You weren't in the pit, where are you?"

"I was running labs all day and tonight I have to be on call for Shepherd, all night," George said.

"That sucks, are you on tomorrow?" Meredith asked. At the same time Izzie ask her question.

"Why are you on call if Alex is in the surgery?"

"No, tomorrow I'm free, but it's both Alex and I tonight, Shepherd wants someone in the room at all times so…" George explained as he continued to eat.

"You're stuck with him all night that sucks." Izzie replied

"It's not that bad, Alex isn't really that bad."

"Stop standing up for him George. He's a bastard and a jerk. Why do you like him so much?" Izzie demanded to know.

"Yeah, I personal can't stand the guy. How do you do it? You spend all this time with him, how?" Meredith asked.

"Seriously?" Cristina asked looking back and forth between Meredith and Izzie with a puzzled expression, "Are you both telling me you don't know? How can you not know what's up with Bambi," she ranted in disbelief.

"What, what, what," George stuttered looking at Cristina, "there's nothing to know, nothing at all."

Meredith and Izzie just looked back and forth between the two, from George's panic to Cristina's disbelief.

"Hu"

"What?"

"How dense are you two, really," Cristina commented before grabbing her tray and leaving the table.

The other two girls turned to look at George both about to ask questions when George interrupted them, "I have to go," before getting up to follow Cristina.

* * *

"What, what do you think you know?" George questioned after catching up with Cristina.

"I don't think I know, I do know. You, Bambi, have a crush on the Evil Spawn. Why I don't know, but this whole following him round like a puppy has to stop George."

"I don't have a crush…and I'm not a puppy," George half shouted in response before looking round at all of the others in the hall.

"Then stop acting like one, just be a man and ask him out, he'll either go out with you or beat the crap out of you. And if he does I'll stitch you up. Burke's having me do this new stitch and I need more practices."

"Cristina I don't…"George trailed off as Cristina just walked away with a "whatever" before George started to march off in a different direction, "I'm not a puppy," he muttered.

* * *

"Now I want to be very clear, one of you is to be in this room, awake and watching Mr. Rockwell at all time. That's why there are two of you," Doctor Shepherd explained for the third time as he handed the patient's chart to Alex before taking one last look at the patient and the monitors.

"We got it Doctor Shepherd. We'll watch him," Alex said as he flipped through the chart himself.

"You'd better. This man is counting on us to keep an eye on him. He has a hole in his skull and his brain is trying to leak out. If anything happens, anything, you keep his brain in and page me and don't stop paging me until I'm in the room with you understand? Now I'll be in the on call room but if I'm going to pull off the surgery tomorrow I need my sleep. Hopefully he'll be strong enough for it by then. If all goes well Mr. Rockwell's cancer will be gone and you both will have assisted with a new and advanced surgery."

"We'll be here right, O'Malley?"

"Right"

* * *

"Check," Alex told George as he moved the rook before going back to his medical book.

George finished checking and updating Mr. Rockwell's chart before he retuned to his chair and moved his knight to take Alex's rook, "So, are you on tomorrow after the surgery?"

"I'm off at noon and I can't wait for a real bed to sleep in for more than a few hours," Alex dreamed as he moved his piece.

"Do you want to get a drink after the surgery, over at Joe's," George asked as he moved his queen to block Alex's bishop.

"Sure, I can always use a drink. Man that surgery's going to be a rush, it's only been done like four times ever. And Shepherd never even done it himself he's only observed it. This is going to be great," Alex said as he pulled out his copy of the surgery's outline.

"So why hasn't Cristina killed us to get in on it?" George asked as he looked through his own copy picturing what the surgery would look like.

"I think she's waiting till morning. I wouldn't recommend sleeping or eating after she gets here," Alex told the other man as he dumped a now empty box of Whoppers out on his hand, "speaking of food whose turn is it?"

"My turn and I'm getting some real food and not something from a vending-machine," George answered Alex as he moved his piece, "Check." and headed for the door.

* * *

"What took you so long O'Malley?" Alex asked when he saw George coming back down the hall with a couple of large brown paper bags, "The cafeteria isn't that far away."

"I didn't go to the cafeteria. I wanted real food so I got some," George explained as he turned the bags to show Alex Safeway's red S stamped on the sides.

"Tell me you went to the Chinese deli they have," Alex demanded as he grabbed one of bags from George and started rummaging around, "did you get any Orange Chicken?"

"I even got plates to go with it. Now give me the sweet and sour pork," George said after he completed unloading the bag before he started filling his own plate and giving Mr. Rockwell a glance, "How's he doing?" George asked as he moved his knight

"He's doing fine so far. The swelling is going down and his stats are improving. He should be all set for the surgery in the morning," Alex explained as he grabbed a plate and started filling it up with both rice and orange chicken before looking at the other boxes to see what George had gotten.

"You really like orange chicken don't you?" George asked seeing most of it makes its way onto Alex's plate.

"Love it; we don't have that much Asian food back in Iowa so it was new to me when I got here. I have no idea how I lived with out it," Alex explained as he started to chow down on his chicken before moving his Queen.

"Have you been to Thai 65 yet?" George asked as he started eating his own food.

"I've heard some of the nurse talking about it but I haven't had he time yet. It any good?" Alex asked before reaching for his med book.

"It's really good you should go there some time," George paused for a minute before he added in a rush, "Want to go with me?"

Alex looked up from his book and plate and just looked at George.

"I mean if the surgery goes well…to ah celebrate," George said stumbling over his words as he slid one of his bishops forward.

"Sure George, to celebrate," Alex said slowly before he looked back over at Mr. Rockwell one hand feeling Kyle's ring under his shirt. "Looks like it's my move."

To be continued

Post-Notes: Safeway is a 24 hour grocery store chain in much of the US. It's in Washington and in a couple other western States at least. And Thai 65 is an Asia restaurant in Seattle that I've heard is really good but I've never been myself.


	7. The Night Before

He wasn't quite sure what to make of Alex. When they'd first met at that party Alex had been a bastard and a jerk. And then Alex proved it wasn't just a one night thing the next day. But then Alex hadn't punched him out when he'd kissed Alex by his car. Alex has even offered to let him off the hook. If he hadn't kissed Alex again right then and there. And then Alex had started kissing him back so it wasn't all him. But then over a month of sitting with him every day at lunch and most of the time at dinner and Alex never did anything again. He'd stayed back, aloof. Why? The others all thought he was nuts but none of them knew, well Cristina knew but she didn't care.

Then he'd just asked him out and that hadn't been that bad. The date had even been kind of fun

_ "This is a nice place O'Malley ," Alex said as he looked around at the restaurant they were in._

_ "Yes, the food's good too," George said as he picked up his menu to look at it._

_ "Is the orange chicken any good?" Alex asked as he looked over his own menu._

_ "I don't know, never had it. The sweet and sour pork is great though," George answered as he looked up at Alex._

_ "Could you believe that surgery, man. Shepherd had the guys brain half out of his head. That was cool."_

_ "Holding it was…something, that's all I can say. It was, wow," George said as he set down his menu._

They'd talked about a lot of stuff that night. They talked about the surgery mostly but some other stuff too. Alex talked a little bit about what he thought of Seattle. Alex liked the rain, he wasn't sure how anyone could like it but Alex did, he said he liked the rain, but Alex didn't like snow. Alex really didn't like it. It had taken to the third date before Alex would talk about why, or about anything involving his home.

_ "As long as it doesn't snow here that's one thing I really don't miss about Iowa," Alex said as he bit into his pretzel._

_ "We don't get much here, we got a few inches last year and the half the city shut down for a few days," George said as he paused to look around Gas Works Park._

_ "A couple inches, that wouldn't even slow anyone down, that I can handle that. I used to have to drive in it all the time. It started in the fall and didn't stop till spring. And after what happened the first year at college I had to do all of the driving, Kyle skidded off into the ditch one time and wouldn't drive in it again," Alex said as he walked forward a bit to look at the sundial on the summit._

_ "Then you have lots of practice, who's Kyle?"_

_ Alex froze for a moment before reaching for the ring under his chest, "An old friend from college."_

_ "Oh, where is he now?" George asked as he joined Alex next to the sundial._

_ "I'm not sure anymore."_

It had taken three week to get Alex to go another date. And that had been the last time Alex had talked about college. Even when Alex had started talking about his family Alex never talked about his time in college, he even stopped short in mid-thought a few time. George wasn't sure why. One thing he did know was he didn't like Alex's parents, at all.

He has learned more about Alex in the last few hours being in Alex's apartment then in the months they had…done whatever is was they were doing. Alex didn't have a lot of stuff. Anyone could tell Alex had only moved here a few months ago so what he did have had to have meaning.

He had looked at Alex's books first. Drawn by the medical books and Alex had a lot of them. Most of them were used, marked by the yellow-orange sticker, but they were in good shape. Alex took care of his books.

He eyes next drifted from the books to the other items on the bookshelves, photos. Alex only had a few, a small handful scattered among the books. The first one was a teenage Alex was with a women a little older than him, too young to be his mother, a friend maybe? They were both sitting at a picnic table in a park; it looked like they were having fun.

The next one was of Alex and another man his own age standing by on old oak tree. Alex and the other man looked completely at ease with each other. Alex looked so happy. Could he ever make Alex that happy?

He looked away from the photos and walked further into the living room. He looked over at Alex's DVDs, games and his TV.

_ "That was a great game, even if our team lost," Alex said as he stood up from his bar stool._

_ "We'll win next time," George replied standing up as he slammed his empty shot glass down before turning to Alex._

_ "Hey there O'Malley," Alex said as he reached out to catch George as he started to stumble to the side._

_ "I think I had too much to drink," George said falling into Alex._

_ "Yeah I think you have too," Alex responded holding up the other man. "Can you even stand on your own?"_

_ "Yes, of course I can…or maybe not," George corrected after trying to stand on his own only to fall back into Alex._

Some parts of last night were a bit hazy but he remembered the important parts clear enough. Alex had kissed him back when he had falling into Alex knocking them both to the ground. Alex had kissed him back and hadn't stopped this time.

TBC


	8. The Day After

"Where was George last night?"

"I don't know. He didn't come home last night, did he?" Meredith answered then asked looking up from her chart at Izzie.

"No he didn't. He was out all night, and he's been out late a number of times in the past few weeks, but he's always come home before."

"I don't know. He didn't even tell me that he was dating someone and now he's spending the night with them," Izzie ranted as she flipped through a patient's chart.

"He's a grown man Izzie, he can date someone with out telling us. He can even stay out all night."

"No he can't, he's George and George has to tell me who he is dating. He knows that, why hasn't he told me," she complained.

"If you want to know so badly, then just ask him, Izzie."

"Meredith, he has to tell me. It doesn't count if I have to ask him."

"Then what do you want to do about it?"

"That," Izzie stopped for a moment before her shoulders slumped, "that I don't know. I need a plan."

"A plan for what?"

"To get him to talk. A plan to get George to tell me who he's dating."

* * *

"Thank you Yang, work with Burke on this case," Dr. Bailey said handing a chart to Cristina as both George and Alex rounded the corner into the room.

"Sorry we're-"

"It's O'Mall-"

"I don't care, both of you to the pit, Stevens labs, Grey Shepherd. Now what are you still doing here get."

* * *

"Next time, I'm setting my alarm early O'Malley." Alex said as he grabbed of the charts, "you're too distracting."

"Next time?" George asked as he watched Alex walk away.

"You, intern, exam two now," an ER doctor said as he gave George a push to one of the side rooms.

"Ah, okay," George said following the doctor into the exam room.

The exam table held a blond woman laying down flipping through a business book, "that was a longer wait than I was led to believe doctor."

"I'm sorry for the wait; this doctor will be taking you down to get an MRI and cat-scan to find out what made you pass out today," the doctor aid as he handed her chart to George.

"Hello," George said as waved before looking down at the chart.

"Now Miss Valenti the pain medication I first gave you should be wearing off a bit, any discomfort or pain out side the leg? Has the leg gotten any worse?"

George half listened to the exam as he looked over the chart of Miss Valenti. She'd passed out as she was walking down some stairs and landed back on her leg, a few other bumps and burses but nothing that looked too critical. But there was no history of fainting or serious illness in her family. Possibility it was the first one. George looked at the woman; this could turn into a surgery for any number of reasons.

"Well doctor…" the women paused to wait for a name.

"O'Malley"

"O'Malley, how long will this take?"

"That depends on if the equipment is in use and what we find Miss Valenti," George said as he started getting the gurney ready to move.

"I like an honest answer, that's nice. And please call me Tess."

"Call me George then."

* * *

"This is crap."

"You're the one that was late again Alex," Izzie said as she dropped off her lab text, "you're just lucky that George was late too. Bailey likes him."

"Whatever blonde," Alex snapped as he when back to filling out the lab form.

"Speaking of George where is he? I didn't see him down in the ER."

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since we got down here, I'm not his keeper."

"Well you're completely unhelpful," Izzie said as she turned to leave.

"Good."

* * *

"Just how much longer is that going to take doctor George?"

"They should be done soon; they're just trying to find the exact spot of the tumor before they operate. They shouldn't be much longer," George said as he leaned against the gurney, "and it's just George."

"Is that what you're going to be doing?" Tess asked.

"No, we don't know if it is a tumor," George told the blond woman, "it could be something else, it could have been a onetime thing Tess."

"I hope so, I spend enough time in hospitals with my work I don't need to spend more time in them."

"You work in hospitals? What kind of work do you do?" George asked as he turned to face Tess better.

"I'm a fundraiser coordinator for the Eugene Roe Medical Endowment of the RoseGate Foundation."

"You're with the RoseGate Foundation?" George asked in surprise, "you guys are holding a Winter Ball here in a couple months."

"Yes I know. That's why I was in town I'm meeting with your board this week to start talking details, I was going to do some sightseeing first but…" Tess stopped and looked at her leg.

"You might still be able to do some sightseeing."

"I can hope."

"Oh and it looks like it's our turn. Then you can tell me about the dance," George said as he wheeled her into the MRI room.

* * *

"Where's George?" Meredith asked as she joined the others for lunch.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him all morning." Izzie said as she took a bite of her meatloaf.

"The bastard got a surgery from the pit. I'm cleaning knife cuts all morning and he gets a surgical case right off," Alex complains before gulping down his soda.

"Really? What kind is it, is it good?" Cristina asked entering the conversation for the first time.

"I heard it was something with her leg, a tumor maybe?" Alex answered.

"Common then, waste of time," Cristina said before gathering her tray and leaving the table.

"Well, we'll see him in afternoon rounds then," Izzie said as she too got up.

* * *

"Good Stevens. You'll be working with me on this case," Bailey said as she lead the inters out of the room and into the hall, "Okay, O'Malley tell us about your find."

"She can in with a broken leg from a fall caused by fainting. No history so we ran a-," George started before Bailey cut him off.

"O'Malley, always start with a name," she said as she walked into the room with the others behind her.

"Right everyone this is-" George started again before he was cut off once more.

"Tess?"

Every one including Tess turned to look at Alex after he blurted out the name, but it was Tess who spoke first.

"Alex? You're alive?"

To be continued


	9. Reaction

The room seemed to pause for a moment as everyone took in what had just happed. Bailey just frowned as she looked at Tess who was just staring at Alex. Izzie, Cristina, and Meredith were all looking back and forth between Alex and Tess, their looks ranging from complete confusion to slight curiosity. George was just staring at Alex when at last it was he who broke the silence when he uttered a single word and question, "Dead?"

At Georges voice Alex broke his look away from Tess and toward George, "I.." he started before looking over at Tess again, "I have to go," He said before looking back at George for a glance before backing out the door and into the hall before disappearing from view.

George took a step toward the door before Bailey's voice stopped him, "Anyone leaves this room before me and I will personal see to it they are removed from the program," She said looking not just at George but also at Izzie who had also started to move toward the door. "Now Doctor O'Malley you were saying," she added gesturing toward Tess

"Right, Tess Valenti she has a stage one tumor that caused a blackout that resulted in a broken leg. Doctor Shepherd will be removing it before it can grow," George said quickly without removing his eyes from the door.

"Wait, Alex is here, how long has he been here, where did he go?" Tess streamed finally able to speak again, "you have to let me see him. I need to see him," she said trying to get out of the bed and to the door.

"Tess, Tess," George said as he tried to grab one of her hands as Meredith moved to grab the other, "Tess you need to calm down stress will only cause another blackout Tess. Calm down Tess," George said as Tess began to let George and Meredith guide her back into the bed.

"Alex works here, he's an intern just like the rest of us. You'll see him around," Meredith said looking Tess in the eyes as her hands slid down Tess arm feeling the IVs.

" I need to talk with him, you don't understand," she said as she looked over at George, "I thought he was dead, all these years. I have to see him, please.

"As soon as I can talk to Alex and try and get him in here I will, okay?" George asked as he held Tess's other hand.

"Promise?" Tess asked, "I need to talk with him, after Kyle..."

"Kyle?" George said in suspire at hearing the name as Tess trailed off, "Haven't I been honest so far?"

""Yes," Tess, "But I have to see him, please!"

"O'Malley you have Ms. Valenti. Make sure she's ready for surgery. Yang, I believe you are presenting the next one," Bailey said eyeing Tess before looking at Yang.

* * *

"Have any of you seen Alex since this morning?"

Meredith looked up from her charts and at Izzie, "No, Cristina said she saw him in the pit earlier but I haven't seen him."

"Huh, so what do you think it is?" Izzie asked before she sat down at the nurse station's computer, "the thing between Alex and Tess, she thought he was dead, any ideas?"

"Well you know my first thought, wife or ex-wife or something but that's just because of the whole Derek/Addison thing," Meredith said looking over her charts.

"How's that going?"

"I'm not sure, and with her working here now? It's just a mess," Meredith added putting down the chart, "could she be a wife?"

"I don't think so, I didn't see a ring," Izzie said looking over at Meredith, "I went back to talk to her and have a look but the chief was there so all I did was look."

"That makes sense; she is from RoseGate isn't she?"

"You don't think that's it do you? Alex has some history with RoseGate. It would explain why he got into the program," Izzie suggested.

"Alex? Our Alex involved with RoseGate, the RoseGate foundation seriously. The RoseGate foundation is one of the largest charities in the world, they do everything and Alex is…Alex."

"Yeah you're right."

* * *

"Karev, my interns do not run out when one of them is presenting," Bailey started as she opened the door to one of the trauma rooms in the ER.

Alex looked up at Bailey and started to talk when his resident cut him off.

"No you do not talk, you're very lucky no Attendings were in the room, and if the Chief had been there…" Bailey stopped to glare at Alex.

"It's personal I can't explain-" Alex started before he was cut off again.

"And I didn't ask, why do all my interns think I care about their personal lives? I don't care about your needs, the only need that I care about are mine and our guest here and your not one of them. Now get your ass back out there and keep it there, you stay in the pit until I say other wise got that," Bailey ordered pointing at the door.

"I'm in a surgery-" Alex started to say before he was cut off once more.

"Not any more, pit. Now."

TBC…


	10. Gathering Storm

"Have any of you seen Alex?"

Cristina and Meredith but looked up at George's question but it was Meredith that spoke first, "No, I haven't. Every time I check the pit he's not there but he's not anywhere else either. Has Tess said anything more? About why she thinks he was dead?" she asked.

"Ah no just wants to talk with him, have to go," he said as he speeded down the hall looking for Alex.

* * *

"Your better at hiding then I thought you'd be."

Alex looked up from the coffee table he's been sitting at when he heard George speak, "I needed some time, alone."

"Because of Tess?" George asked as he walked closer to Alex letting his eyes drift over the contents of the table.

The table was covered with photos and other keepsakes. Many of the photos had the same man in them, the dark haired man was almost always with Alex but sometimes the man, Kyle, was with a blond woman, Tess.

"Were you close?" George asked as he sat down next to Alex.

"Why are you here George?" Alex whispered as he ran his hand over some of the photos.

"Because I didn't think you should be alone right now Alex," George said as he placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, "I think you need to talk."

Alex brought one hand to his chest and the ring under hanging there as the other hand traced the outline of Kyle in one of the photos with Kyle, Alex and Tess standing together next to an old house, "And why would I talk to you about it Bambi?"

"You should talk to Tess, talk to me or not Alex, but you should talk to her. She wants to talk with you, wants you to see her," George said as he tried to get Alex to look at him, "whatever happened between you Kyle and Tess-"

"Shut up," Alex barked cutting George off, "just shut up! You don't know what you're talking about so just shut up!" Alex continued as he stood up getting louder and louder with each word.

"Talk to her, she wants to, needs to. She thought you were dead," George said as he tried to step closer to Alex only for Alex to match every step back.

"Get out!" Alex said as he pointed to the door, "Get out now, you don't know or understand anything George, get out now."

"Alex-"

"Now George, leave."

George looked at Alex before he turned toward the door, "talk to her," he said as he walked out.

* * *

"Tess"

Tess Valenti looked up when she heard her name to see Alex standing in the doorway, "Alex," She said lowering her book, "is that really you?"

"Yes I-" Alex started stepping forward half a step before stopping both his movement and his sentence.

"You didn't die," Tess said as she started climbing out of the hospital bed. Her good foot hitting the ground just as Alex started moving again.

"You shouldn't be out of bed Tess, not with that leg," Alex said as he lifted her back into the bed.

"You're alive, really alive," Tess said as she wrapped her arms around his chest, "the note we all thought, after Kyle and your mother we thought."

"I didn't know," Alex started to say as he ran a hand thought her hair, "I didn't know you thought that."

"Didn't know! How could you, you vanished the day after," Tess shouted as she pulled back and hit Alex on the chest with a fist, "five years Alex, how could you know, five years no word after your car…no word." Tess finished with a sob as she grabbed Alex and held him tight.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispered as he held her close.

To be continued


	11. Can you feel the rain

"This is a great honor people. Only four hospitals in the world get to host one of RoseGate's Charity Balls. Nothing will go wrong and we will support it," the Chief explained from his place at the top of the stairs, "Residents have been informed if they are working, at the ball, or off for the night. Interns are doing the same as their residents are. And you will all be doing as ordered, with no exceptions. I want this hospital to have a strong showing. Any questions?" the Chief asked, and then waited for a moment before he turned and headed up the stairs.

"Bailey."

"Working, are we working?"

"A dress, do I need a dress and my hair?"

"Quiet!" Bailey shouted over the voices of her interns, "Now we will be going to the Ball, and hey," She called at them as Izzie started jumping and Cristina started frowning, "all five of you will be there, women in dress, formal dress, men in Tuxes, and nice ones. Some of the richest people in the world will be there, you will not embarrass me. Understand." she added as last looking at each one of them.

"Can we bring dates? Can I find a date in a week?" Izzie asked still jumping.

"What about being on call? Can we be on call?" Cristina asked frowning at Izzie.

"Cristina it look like we are stuck going to this," Meredith said as she backed away from Bailey and her frown, "and we have that CT."

"CT? What CT?" Cristina started before Meredith wacked her in the shoulder, "right that CT."

"Enough of the Ball, am I back in surgery? Or am I still doing stitches in the pit?" Alex asked as he rolled his eyes at the others.

"Are you done with your 'personal' problems Karev?" Bailey said, looking at Alex.

"Yea it's dealt with," Alex.

Before he could say any more Bailey cut him off, "Good, you ever do that again you're out. You have a problem with some patient, work with them anyways and if you can't that's my call not yours. Got me Karev?"

* * *

"Yarn?"

"Yes, my mother owns an internet yarn distributing site, specializing in special yarns. In some areas it's hard to get and find," Tess explained to Alex.

"Yarn? She knows what yarn is? She doesn't knit or anything how did she get into Yarn?" Alex asked in disbelief.

"After Kyle and…you," Tess started getting quite, "we needed, well something. I threw myself into RoseGate. Mom, mom threw herself into crafts, she found a local group and things grew from there, I talked with her last night," Tess said looking at Alex.

"Did you tell her about me?" Alex asked looked down.

"Yes, I had to," Tess started before looking at Alex, "She deserved to know, you were like a son to her. She, she'll be up here as soon as she can. I got her a flight up here on Friday. Just in time for the Ball, the first flight up without a long layover."

"That's good, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about either of you. Then after a couple of years it was just too hard. I just…" Alex said letting out a breath, as he slumped down.

"You were grieving," Tess said talking Alex's hand in hers, "we all were. Will you go to the dance with me? Be my date?"

"What, I'm not sure-"

"I know you're going to be there, but there with me please?" Tess asked.

"Yes I'll go with you," Alex said taking Tess's other hand in his. "Do I need to pick up-"

"I have some good news Tess," George said as he walked into the room looking up at Tess smiling, "Alex, you two are talking! That's good," he said as he walked over toward Tess's bed side opposite Alex.

"Yeah O'Malley, so what's the good news?"

"Please tell me I'll be able to make the ball, I'm running it I have to be there. I can only do so much from here," she asked and said holding up her PDA and gesturing to the phone.

"Yes, Shepherd will do it in the morning, you will need one last CT in the morning before he goes in and then one every 12 hours after but if they stay clean you should be fine for Saturday," George explained as he kept his eyes on Tess.

"That's great news George!" Tess cried pulling George into a hug.

"I'll let you guys talk," Alex told the others as they were hugging.

"What he isn't telling you is that anytime you leave this hospital I want an intern with you, Karev, O'Malley or one of the others." Doctor Shepherd added as he walked into the room as Alex walked out, "Now do you have any questions about the surgery?"

* * *

"So you're on call all night and then you're going to help operate on my brain?" Tess asked as George took a seat next to her bed.

"Well it will mostly be Doctor Shepherd operating on you, I'll just be watching, George answered.

"Ah, can I ask you a personal question?" Tess asked.

"No, problem, I've asked more then a few Tess."

"Those were for my health, this is…different," Tess started before she stopped rubbing her hands together looking up at George.

"What is it, just ask," George told here.

"What's going on between you and Alex?"

"What? Nothing!? Why would you ask that?" George said fast all in one breathe.

"I've been asking around about him getting the dirt he wouldn't tell me, and you're name comes up a lot. That other intern, the tall blond, Steven I think."

"Izzie."

"Told me you kept trying to be Alex's friend, she thinks you are but Alex never said anything about you. But you knew the name Kyle…" Tess finished before looking at George, just watching.

"We've…we've been seeing each other for a few months, no one know well Christian knows, I think but she wouldn't care enough to say anything but after you showed up he stopped talking to me, he won't even be in the same room in less Bailey makes him," George explained looking down at the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I must remind him of…" Tess started before stopping.

"Of Kyle? Who is he?"

"My brother…Alex should tell you the rest."

"Okay," George said as he leaned back then stood up, "I should go check on other patients."

"Wait George," Tess called before he could leave, "will you be my date to the Ball? Please."

"But Alex," George started.

"No, he's like a brother, and he has friends here, he can't be with me all night…so will you?"

"Sure."

To be continued


	12. The Thunder Begins

"I can't believe you asked us both out Tess," Alex said as he folded his arms and looked past Tess and at George across the limonene.

"I need a doctor with me at all times and you two have dated so it seemed like a good idea," Tess explained as she looked at Alex.

"You should have told us you were inviting the other," George told Tess as he looked between both Alex and Tess.

"And how did you know we dated? I never told you I dated him. No one knows we dated," Alex demanded to know.

"Well that's not true, Christian knows," George started before Alex cut him off.

"Yang? Yang knows? How does she know? Did you tell her O'Malley," Alex said raising his voice as he started rising from his seat.

"I didn't tell her, the way we act is enough Alex, we drove in together, left together, Shepherd and Meredith got caught, while doing more to hide it," George shot back as he pushed Alex back down.

"Stop it! The both of you. Maybe this wasn't the best idea but why are you hiding it? You and Kyle never did," Tess asked as he handed bottle of wine to George, "open this."

""Who is Kyle, you've both-" George started as he began opening the bottle before he was cut off by Alex again.

"Stop bring up Kyle! George isn't Kyle, you aren't Kyle. I can't have Kyle so stop talking about him!" Alex yelled as he grabbed the bottle from George and finished pulling off the top and taking a long drink from it as he moved to the far side of the limonene.

* * *

"…and for that reason I would like to thank Seattle Grace hospital," Tess said from the stage before she held up her glass and toasted toward the Chief, "Now everyone enjoy your evening."

"And you do this all the time?" George asked in a whisper as he offered his arm to Tess to lean on.

"Only a few times a year luckily," Tess answered as she leaned on George, "It's normally more fun but right now…"

"You should take a seat, rest," George told her as he led her toward one of the chairs lining the side walls.

"Yes, that seems like a good idea," Tess told George as she sat down, "that's much better."

"Are you feeling light headed, dizzy, any other symptoms?" George asked as he crouched down next to Tess.

"No, no just worn out," Tess said as she took a couple of deep breaths.

"You should drink something, I'll get you something," George said before standing then pausing for a moment looking at the bar across the room then back at Tess. Before casting his eyes around the room and stopping at he saw Izzie, "Hey Izzie, Izzie."

"Oh George, isn't this great. I was just talking to Paul Allen, it's just so," Izzie said as she came over, "Thank you so much for this Tess."

"I'm glad you're having fun, where is your date?" Tess asked.

"I'm going to get some water can you watch Tess?" George asked Izzie before he moved to walk over to the bar as he heard Izzzie talking about her date.

George reached the bar and ordered a couple of glasses of punch when he saw Alex standing out on the garden balcony, alone standing off on a far side, giving Tess and Izzie another glance he headed over to the garden.

"What are we?"

"What?" Alex asked as he jerked up from looking down and at George.

"What are we?" We've been sleeping together for 2-3 months then you just stop all at once. Why?" George asked as he looked down at his feet then up at Alex.

"It's just ended O'Malley. It happens, just leave it," Alex said as he pushed off of the balcony and started to walk away from George.

"No Alex, you owe me some answers, who is Kyle, what happened and why does it mean we have to stop?" George demanded as he grabbed Alex arm and pulled him back.

"Fine, you want to know? Here it is," Alex half yelled as he grabbed George's glass and drained it, "you couldn't have had something stronger?" he added as he dropped the glass, "We grew up together, since we were five or maybe four. Whenever I couldn't stay at home I headed over to his place. We were best friends, did everything together, except sports, I wrestled and he played football, but even then it wasn't completely different," Alex said as he slumped against the railing.

"Sophomore year I tried out for the football team in the fall, made third string and in the winter he tried out for wrestling. And that's when it happened," Alex stopped again and looked at George, "I always known that I loved him, always wanted him a part of my life. We were wrestling, playing around really, it was after school. We were alone in the gym's side room. I pinned him and was lying on top of him when I did it…I can still taste his mouth, feel his lips," Alex stopped as he raised his finger to his lips.

"It's funny, later he told me he kissed me," Alex added as he smirked, "we were together pretty much from then on. We didn't come out that year but by the end of junior year most of the school that wanted to know knew. We went to college together, I proposed to him," Alex stopped and looked away, "and then he died in front of me."

To be continued….


	13. Thunder Strike

"What happened?"

"He died, that's all you need to know O'Malley." Alex said as he started walking away, "I need a drink."

"What, Alex wait," George called out as he followed after Alex.

"Rum and coke," Alex order when he reach the bar, "George drop it."

"Okay, he died. I'm sorry but I'm not dead," George said as he followed Alex to the bar.

"You don't get it O'Malley, I promised him forever… You made me forget that, Tess reminded me."

"Just because we're together doesn't mean you've forgotten him Alex."

"It's my fault he's dead I can't- I can't," Alex broke off as he headed for the door, his face contorted in anguish.

* * *

"So Mom and Tess want a summer wedding, mid-June," Kyle told Alex shouting over the wind.

The two were driving down a long stretch of road surrounded by unbroken farm land under a dark gray sky. Alex looked up at the sky above them, "As long as it doesn't rain, I hate the rain."

"Summer it is then, so we graduated with BA's one month, the next we get married followed by a two month honeymoon then you start med school and I start my Masters program."

"What are we doing for the honeymoon anyways?" Alex asked looking over at Kyle.

"Do we get to pick that or is Tess in charge of that too?" Kyle laughed looking back at Alex.

"I think we get some input there Kyle," Alex grinned back.

"That's good any idea were you want to go for a month the dark hair man asked.

"Somewhere with a beach, that and the ocean, Florida maybe surf some or we could try the northeast sleep in a different B and B-"

"Tornado," Kyle yelled as he grabbed Alex's shoulder and pointed at the horizon where a funnel cloud was touching the ground.

"Damn! Is it coming this way?!" Alex yelled as he looked toward it, "It's coming this way, ditch where is-"

"There," Kyle said pointed a few feet off the side of the road a few feet ahead, "water ditch!"

* * *

"Quit following me O'Malley, its over," Alex complained as he pushed open the door and walked out onto the Seattle streets.

"No," George said as he stopped behind Alex, "no," he said one last time as he grabbed Alex and pulled him into a kiss.

Alex leaned into the kiss for a moment, before pushing George against a nearby wall, and then breaking the kiss; "I don't know, I just don't…"he trailed off.

"I'll wait but I need to know I'm waiting for something Alex-" George started before he was cut off.

"Give me your money now."

* * *

"I wonder what they're fighting about?"

"What?" Tess asked as she looked up at Meredith who had joined her and Izzie.

"George and Alex," Izzie answered for Meredith before turning to the other doctor, "Those two have been together a lot…or they were until last week…"

"You're right," Meredith said back looking at Izzie, "George was home every night this week since…since Alex had his thing when you showed up." She finished off looking at Tess raising her eye brow.

"You don't think…with Alex?" Izzie asked also turning to look at Tess, "You asked them both…"

"I-I," Tess started before she stopped, "...oh hell, yes, now lets find out if they're getting back together or not," she said as she started walking toward the door.

* * *

"Fuck! This isn't a very deep ditch!" Alex said as he pressed himself into the earth bottom of the ditch they where in.

"Best we got! We'll be fine, this isn't our first time in a ditch," Kyle said with a grin as he smirked at Alex.

"God! You are insatiable." Alex said as he held Kyle close to him, "We're in the middle of a dammed twister!"

* * *

"Whoa there!" Alex said in surprise when he saw the gun being pointed at him and George.

"What Alex," George started when Alex backed away from him, then he saw the revolver, "Ah, that's a gun, you have a gun."

"That's right, now have over your money, now," the mugger demanded looking back and forth between the two men, his hand shaking.

"Dude, you don't want to be doing this," Alex told the man as he stepped in front of him, "walk away and it's forgotten."

"He's right, and we're interns, loans, crappy pay, we don't have any money," George started to babble, his hand grabbing Alex's.

"Money now or I'll shoot!" the Mugger demanded his whole body shaking. He thumbed back the hammer, a loud ominous click.

* * *

"I can't believe that they didn't tell us. I mean really did they think we care?" Meredith ranted as she led the way thought the lobby toward the side door that they'd seen the two men use.

"Who are they talking to, so we know him?" Izzie asked as she followed a step behind.

"Is he holding something? Is that…?" Tess asked reaching the door just after the other two.

"Gun! George, look out!"

"Alex!"

* * *

"This isn't deep enough," Alex yelled as a chicken wire fence ripped into his arm at high speed cutting a long slice off.

Kyle's reply was lost in the wind as more and more debris flew passed them, Alex could see cut's on Kyle's face from something. And more just kept coming.

* * *

Alex turned has head when he heard Tess call his name, he felt George stiffen beside him then it happened.

*Bang*

To be continued….


	14. Between flashes of Lighting

The thing Alex would remember most was the feeling of George behind him.

He barely even saw the mugger turn and run or even the girls running to them. Everything focused on George's side and the rip in the tux with blood spreading from the wound.

Alex remembered the feel of the brick wall as he helped George down to the ground as the girls reached them. But lastly he remember the look on George's face as the other man pressed his hands against his stomach as blood pumped thought George's fingers.

All Alex could think was shouldn't this hurt?

* * *

Red, dark blood pouring from Alex's stomach, that's what George would remember most from those moments.

The look of surprise in Alex's eyes when Alex looked down and saw his own blood pouring through George's fingers, George remembers the pain in his side as he jumped up to catch Alex when Alex's knees buckled and gave.

And he will always remember the feeling of helplessness as Izzie pulled him back from Alex to deal with his side and let others, trusted others to save Alex when all he could do was watch unable to use his own skills and knowledge.

* * *

Her own scream, her own voice calling out Alex's name that is what Tess would remember most.

She knows she didn't scream the whole time, but that's what she remembered most about those few minutes. She'd be around the nation, around the world, and yet she'd never seen anything like this. The blood on the sidewalk, along the brick wall, the streets and car, everywhere, so much …

They needed help, more doctors, more experienced doctors. Tess didn't even remember how she got to the ballroom, how she got the strength or stamina but she remembered bursting into the ballroom.

* * *

We all have choices to make, actions to choose, as a surgeon those actions, those choices, can save lives or end them.

But we don't make those choices alone; we make them with our past. Knowing that last time using the 10 blade left a smaller scar then a 12 blade.

But they also hurt you, the first time you try to remove that tumor they died but that isn't always have to be. Sometimes you win. But if you let your past hold you back, choose for you…you'd never know what could have been, what life may have saved.

* * *

Bailey knew she was going to ruin her dress, she remembered knowing that, knowing it the moment she bought it.

But she never thought it would be with the blood of her own intern. When Tess Valenti had run into the ballroom she's thrown off her heels and had run down the stairs as fast as she could, only Shepherd and Yang keeping up with her. And when she reached the sidewalk she knew she wasn't losing any of her interns, her dress be damned Karev was her intern and he was going to becoming a fine doctor damn it.

* * *

Cristina's first thought was this is going to need surgery, second was that this wasn't what she had in mind when she thought she's take anything if it meant she got to scrub in.

But she didn't have time for any of those thoughts once she reached Alex's side where Meredith already knelt. Cristina listened as Meredith filled them in on what she knew, her mind filling with all the things she could do if only she had an OR or even a trauma room, something more then just her hands, She just hadn't learned enough to prepare for this.

* * *

Izzie just remembered talking to George as they got him to the hospital.

"Why didn't you tell us, why didn't you tell me? Really George did you think you could not tell me? Did you think I wouldn't want to be your friend? Is that what you thought I'd do? I'd never do that, we're friends. Now I have to say your choice of Alex, that, I'm not sure about. Evil spawn himself. Maybe he's deeper then I thought but….next time you tell me, This is karma George. Yeah, karma, look it up…but you'll be fine, Alex will be fine."

* * *

Derek remembers planning, planning out how to save one of his students life, the life of his girlfriends friend.

"I need an OR, now. I want it prepped and ready the moment that Bailey and I get thought those doors," he ordered over the ambulance radio as they neared the hospital.

It wasn't often that he had a fellow surgeon, a friend, on the table and it was always the same feelings and thoughts. Wondering if he can save him, will them still able to be a surgeon when he was done or would he take that away from them.

* * *

Aaron wouldn't remember anything.

He just needed money to pay his bills. No one was going to get hurt, he orders them to hand over their money and they would, then he walked away, simple.

That's what should happen, he had it planned, but they didn't, and then those girls came out and the yell then the bang.

He hadn't meant to, he hadn't wanted to. He had to run. He had to get away. What's why he ran into the street. That's why he didn't see the car coming at him.

And that's why he would remember nothing else.

* * *

Kyle remembered knowing he was in love and he loved, that was his last thought.

He saw it coming when he saw the car crash into the road and the windshield come off the car. And he knew the window shards was coming right to him, he just knew.

Kyle did the only thing he could, he curled himself around Alex and looked Alex in the eyes and whispered 'I love you' and smiled as he grabbed Alex's hand in his own, felt their rings touch, one last perfect moment, in love and being loved.

Then he felt the glass.


	15. Deadly Calm

Deadly Calm

It was a blur of colors; he could just make some of them out. He could almost see Izzie's blue dress and the red of Bailey's dress and the black of all the men's tuxes just out of focus.

"How clearly can you see them?"

Alex spun at the voice, a voice he knew, "Kyle?" he shouted seeing the other man.

Kyle was there a few feet away, just standing...right there.

"They've always been hard for me to see clearly."

"Kyle," Alex took a tentative step forward a reached out his hand, lightly brushing the gray T-shirt, he felt the cotton and the muscles under it, "Oh god, your real!" he cried as he stepped forward and pulled Kyle into his embrace burying his face into his former lover's neck as he felt Kyle's arm rap around him, "I'm missed you so much."

"I know Alex, I know," Kyle said as he held the taller man tight to him, "I've missed being able to hold you, tell you how much I love you."

"I, did I…I'm I dead too? Did I die?" Alex asked as he held onto Kyle.

"No Alex, not yet anyways. You have a choice to make and we need to talk," Kyle told the other man as he brought up Alex's head and gave him a quick kiss, "Alex what do you see around you?"

"We're out side the ball-" Alex stopped when he looked around and saw that they weren't out side the downtown ballroom but in one of Seattle Graces' trauma rooms watching as Izzie and Burke worked on George, "how did we get here?" Alex asked as he stepped toward George and away from Kyle, "How did we get to the Hospital?"

* * *

"O'Malley I need you to lean back, I need to get a better look at this wound," Doctor Burke said as he looked at the gunshot, "Stevens pull back his shirt, we're going to need some more room."

"Get it," Izzie said as she pulled back the blood soaked shirt, ripping it to give Doctor Burke more room to work.

"How bad is it?" George asked as he tried to look down at his side only to have Izzie push him back down.

"Don't move, I'm still mad at you George," Izzie ranted, "I mean how long have you been seeing him without telling us, really," She vented thumping George's shoulder until Burke interrupted her.

"Stevens, a stitches kit. And don't hit my guy," Burke said as he finished checking the wound.

"So how bad is it? It doesn't hurt," George said as he looked up at Burke.

"You're lucky, it's just a flesh wound, no nerve or muscle damage, O'Malley a couple day's of bed rest and you'll be fine," Burke explained. "Stevens this is a perfect time for you to learn a new stitch."

"Really? Great thanks Doctor Burke," Izzie said excitedly as she came over to George's injure side.

"What about Alex how is he?" George asked, "I know they've got him stable but have they said any more?"

"We've been a little busy O'Malley," Burke said looking over Izzie's shoulder, "and don't even think I'm going to let you go to the OR, you're staying in bed.

"Doctor Burke you side yourself it's not bed and I have to see how he's doing."

"They'll let us know when's going on with Alex," Izzie told her friend as she started stitching up George's side.

* * *

"His pressure is dropping," Bailey said as she looked at the monitors then back at Alex's abdomen.

"We need to find that bleed quick," Shepherd said as he cauterized a bleeder.

"Grey hold this," Bailey ordered as she handed a retractor to Meredith as she worked on Alex's organs, "This is just a mess, how did one bullet do so much damage."

"Yang, Grey, what organ is most important to deal with kidney, spleen, or liver?" Shepherd asked as he looked over the damage.

* * *

"You're a really good doctor you know," Kyle said as he sat down on the counter of the trauma room next to Alex, watching as Izzie and Burke worked on George.

"Years and years of med school will do that, it is why I went," Alex said as he watched the others patch up George.

"I'm glad you went, even after what happened," Kyle said as he took Alex's hand in his.

"It made me want it more. I lost you because I didn't know what to do I never wanted that too happen again so I had to go. Even after I trashed your car, Sorry about that," Alex added as he kissed Kyle.

"Yes about that," Kyle said before he slapped the back of Alex's head, hard.

"Ouch, it's not like I meant to land it in the river Casper!" Alex replied rubbing the back of his head.

"That car was a classic, one I was restoring piece by piece…and you drove it into the river and almost got yourself killed."

"I was fine and I didn't mean to, and I didn't think your family would think I was dead, sorry."

"You should be, you need them to help you grieve, you left and never really did grieve, if you don't-"

"We need to not be here," Alex said as he stood up and walked out of the trauma room.

* * *

"Good job Stevens, well done O'Malley it seems you'll live," Burke said as he inspected Izzie's work.

"Thank you Doctor Burke," Izzie said smiling.

"Good! Can I go see Alex now?" George asked.

"No O'Malley, you are not going into an OR, you're in no condition to be standing."

"George, I just put 11 stitches in your side," Izzie said as she frowned, "what are you thinking?"

"Can you check on him Izzie, I need to know how he's doing," George pleaded.

"I paged Meredith, when they know something we'll know," Izzie said back.

"She's right O'Malley tonight you're a patient not a doctor," Burke said as he wrote up O'Malley's chart.

* * *

"His spleen is rupturing again," Bailey said as she tried to repair it once more.

"Where is all this blood coming from? I've done brain surgery with less bleeding," Shepherd said as he frowned, "suction Yang, and order two more units of blood!"

"George is fine just some stitches, no real damage," Meredith said as she re-entered the OR.

"Good, good now lend a hand and grab the retractors," Bailey ordered as she paused to think about her choices.

"His pressure is dropping again," Yang called as she watched the monitors.

"Get the blood hung now," Shepherd shouted as he looked at then monitors as well, "Damn he's crashing, start compression."

* * *

"Do you love him Alex?" Kyle asked as they both looked at George lying in the trauma room just staring at the ceiling.

"Yes I think I do," Alex said before turning to look at Kyle, lifting a hand to run it through Kyle's dark hair, "but I never stopped loving you Kyle, never."

"I know. I've always been able to feel it and you. But you need to move on Alex. He needs you, he loves you with all his heart, even if he doesn't realize it yet," Kyle said was he walked over to stand next to the OR observation room windows that some how showed both George and Alex. "He's good for you, he's making you the Alex I knew and loved. Not what you've become. He's undoing the damage I caused when I left you."

"Kyle don't, you didn't damage me, if anyone did that it was my father, not you," Alex countered as he stepped next to Kyle, turning his back to George and looking down at his own surgery.

"Maybe, but I left you and that hurt, but now you have a choice. Yes, George may hurt you, but he may not. If you stay here you'll never know. You need to choose, soon."

Alex watched as Kyle stepped close to the glass and watched as Bailey and Shepherd both tried to save his life, but did he want to be saved?

"Are you the kind of man that can just give up, just let yourself die? Is that the man I was going to marry?" Kyle asked as he looked over at Alex.

"I don't know, I love you, I don't want to leave you, I want to be with you." Alex answered as he stepped closer to Kyle and placed his hand over Kyle's on the window sill.

"But will you be with me? Right now, are you still in love with me?" Kyle asked before rising his hands, "I know you love me but are you still iin/i love with me? Just me?"

"I-Damn Kyle. I love you, isn't that enough?" Alex demanded as he looked at Kyle before staring at the floor chewing on his thumb nail.

After a moment of silence Alex looked back up at Kyle, "Why do I have to choose, and why soon?"

"If you keep pushing George away one day he'll stay away and you'll be alone. And if you don't choose, if you don't have a reason to live," Kyle stopped and looked down at Alex's body, "you'll die, soon."

"And if I choose you?" Alex asked.

"If you really love me, I mean in love just like the day you proposed to me. If you're still that in love with me then you can come with me, but if you don't…" Kyle trailed off closing his eyes.

"I-I," Alex started before the sudden motion in his own surgery got his attraction. He was crashing, dying.

"I know you'll always love us both but who can you give your whole heart to Alex," Kyle asked opening his eyes, "it's time to decide."

Alex looked at Kyle and George for long moment before focusing on Kyle, "I'll always love you Kyle," He said as he kissed Kyle full on the lips, tasting Kyle's mouth, feeling his tongue touch his lovers, "remember that, you'll always be a part of me."

To be Concluded…


	16. Out comes the Sun

Alex ran. He ran around corners and down halls, he jumped down the stairs three at a time. He had to get to Trauma. Alex ran as fast as he could. George was all around him, reflected in the glass window over looking the room. George was everywhere; he was lying in his bed after a night together, he was sitting over a chest board, he was watching a surgery, he was wearing a Tux…he was there so Alex ran, he ran to George

898989898989898989898989898989898989898

"Is he going to make it?" George asked as he was wheeled into Alex's room.

"He's stable and after what happened that's what we need, stable is good," Shepherd told the other man.

"What, what happened?" Izzie asked from behind George.

"He crashed. He was out almost three minutes before we got a rhythm. He shouldn't have any effects," Shepherd explained as he looked between George, Izzie and Tess.

"How long before he wakes up? Tess asked.

"He should wake up within the next twelve hours, and on a different note does he have any family? His file doesn't list an emergency contact, or any family," Shepherd asked looking at Tess.

"No, his dad was long gone and mother died not long before he left," Tess said as she looked down at Alex.

"Then I guess it's just us then," Shepherd said looking at the others.

"So we just wait then?" George asked as he took Alex's hand in his.

"We, wait, that's all we can do?" Tess asked looking at all the others.

"Yeah we wait," Shepherd conformed.

It was almost three hours later when Alex began moving, starting with his fingers. George felt then stirring against his hand as he sat next to Alex just talking with Tess and to Alex, then he's moved, "Alex? Alex!" George said.

"George," Alex whispered as he slowly opened his eyes and saw George and then turned and saw Tess.

"Here's some water," George said as he brought the glass up to Alex's lips.

"I chose you George, I chose you," Alex said before he different back off to sleep.

"What?" George asked looking over at Tess.

"I don't know." she answered back.

898989898989898989898989898989898989898

"Who's got this one Gray?" Bailey said as she walked into the room.

"Alex Karev, Male 27, presented with a GSW to the abdomen, damage to the right lung, liver, and spleen that have been repaired and Alex is on fluids and bed rest for the next three days," Meredith said as she looked between Alex and the interns.

"And how did you sleep last night Karev?" Bailey asked as she looked over Alex's chart.

"Good enough to get out of this bed, I've had enough of this," Alex complained as he pulled at the IV that was inserted into his hand.

"She just said three days Alex," Tess added as she looked up from the post-ball paperwork she was dealing with.

"Three days is too long, 12 hour's has been to long," Alex complained before he looked over at Izzie, "And where is George?"

"He's in his own room, recovering and not under your thrall, Evil Spawn," Izzie answered back.

"Stevens," Bailey said as she looked sharply at Izzie, "Intern or not you do not talk to patients that way, practice on him so you're ready for real patients, oh and Karev," Bailey added turning to Alex, "I like O'Malley and I control your life for the next few years, remember that."

"I will," Alex answered as he swallowed hard.

"Good, now then Gray, he's yours today, the rest of you come on." Bailey ordered.

898989898989898989898989898989898989898

"Guys where have you been? I've been bored to death," George complained as Meredith, Izzie and Cristina came into his room with their lunches.

"Some of us have to be doctors Bambi," Cristina said she took a seat.

"Ignore her, we need to talk about you and Alex," Izzie said as she also took a seat.

"Oh, we're dating or we were but then he called it off…but I'm not doing to let him," George told the others.

"Alex? Why Alex?" Meredith asked.

"Yeah he's an ass," Izzie add.

"Will you stop acting like a puppy now?" Cristina asked George.

"I wasn't a puppy and Alex isn't that bed, yes he's an ass but so are you, all of the time to me, he's just like that more often" George started.

"We are all asses, he has a point," Cristina said as she took a bit of her salad.

"You're not helping," Izzie said facing Cristina before turning back to George, "There are other guy's that aren't asses. We can talk to Joe, he'll know some guys."

"I don't want other guys! I like Alex, I've had fun with him the last few months and I don't plan on stopping," George responded.

"Guys, guys," Meredith said over the others, "it's his choice. What I want to know is when it started, huh George?"

"…about six months ago," George answered in a whisper as he half smiled up at them.

898989898989898989898989898989898989898

"Alex, there's something I've need to give you before I forget," Tess told Alex as she pulled a chain from her pocket, "It came off earlier. I picked it up and cleaned it off," she finished as she passed it to Alex.

Alex took it grabbing it by the ring hanging from the chain, "I thought it was just mixed up with the rest of the stuff I had with me, thanks for keeping it safe," he said as he just turned it between his fingers.

"Is...is it's Kyle's?" Tess asked as she brought her hand up to Alex's.

"This one, no, not this one," Alex answered as he looked from the ring to Tess, "I said good bye. It was probable in my head; it had to be in my head. They're no way I really talked to him but I needed to," Alex said as he turned back to the ring.

"Where is his ring?" Tess asked she voice soft, "it's not with him is it?"

"No we had other plans for the rings," Alex told her, "in-fact I think it may be time my ring joins his but for now I need to talk to George, Alone. And I can't go to him," Alex ended by pointing to his abdomen.

"I'll see what I can do."

898989898989898989898989898989898989898

"You're lucky I like you O'Malley. Staying after my shift is done to wheel you to see Karev? I must be insane I don't know how I let you and that women talk me into this," Bailey just talked as she pushed George down the hall to Alex's room.

"Thank you doctor Bailey, but I could have wheeled myself," George said as he turned to look at Bailey behind him.

"Like I'm going to do that, just you make sure you don't over extend yourself, those stitches are fresh both yours and his."

"We-ah-we're just going to talk," George stuttered as he turned red as they come up to Alex's room.

"Make sure you do, and Karev remember what we talk about," Bailey ordered as she pushed George into the room and stopped next to the bed.

"Yes, ma'am," Alex said with a smirk, "how you doing George?"

"I'm doing better then you. I didn't need surgery," George answered as Bailey left the room.

"That's good, I'd much rather be cutting then being cut," Alex said to George.

"Yeah, I'd rather you were cutting too," George told Alex.

"Good…oh good…I've made a choice. About us," Alex said as he cleaned his through and looked between George and the window.

"What was your choice?" George asked.

"I-I want to give us a real chance," Alex told George, "I'm not saying this is forever. I could still end up not liking you and I am a bit of an ass-"

"A bit," George interrupted looking at Alex holding his hand up with his thumb and index finger slightly parted, holding the ring.

"Yeah so this isn't forever, not yet, but if I call it off it won't be because of Kyle or anyone but you or me, got it?" Alex said.

George just smiled as he took Alex's hand in his, "I can live with that."


	17. Epilog: Brand New Day

Six months later

Alex took a deep breath as he paused, looking up at his and Kyle's Oak. Its leaves already turned shades of red, orange and yellow for fall but the grass that covered the hill was clear of fallen leaves. Alex started up the hill stepping into the shade offered by the tree and out of the afternoon sun until he reached the massive trunk.

Alex reached out and traced the heart and letters he and Kyle had carved into the Oak before he started talking aloud, to the Oak, to himself, and to Kyle, "You were right, I was stuck in the past and almost couldn't see what was right in front of me."

Alex stopped talking for a moment as he spread his fingers out covering as much of the heart as he could, "George is a good guy, he always wants to do the right think, sometimes it sucks he's such a goodie-two shoes, he's a good surgeon, not for plastics but…he's good under stress, better then me…not that I'll ever tell him that but he is. And…he makes me happy; I really think I make him happy too. That's why I'm here. To say good bye and reunite these," Alex finished as he slipped his hand into pocket and pulled out a gold band, "I can't really move on and be happy with him until I do," he added before he knelt beneath the tree and brushed away the bark and dirt around one of the roots until he could press the ring as deep under the root as he could, just like he'd done before.

"I think he could be it, I'm not 100% sure. I've only known him a bit over a year, it's not the 17 it took me to realize that you were it but…I really think this could be it for me, I hope," Alex told Kyle and the Oak as he stood up and brushed the dirt from his hands with his pants before pressing it over the heart, "I just wanted to let you know before…I just needed to do this first."

Alex dropped his hand and started walking down the hill and back to the car, and his man, waiting by the road.

The End


End file.
